Monday, May 29, 2017

REMEMBERING A MEMORIAL DAY>>> MANY YEARS AGO!

Today I am remembering a Memorial Day from many years ago. This is the introduction to my book ‘Safely Through the Fire’. It is written as fiction, but these things really happened. Sharing with you today in memory of Billy and all the ones I’ve loved who have passed on. Love life!!! It is precious!
 
* * * * * * * *
 
The parade was over.
 
The crowd of Memorial Day celebrants slowly gathered around the podium for the annual Memorial day speech and laying of the laurel for Springvale’s fallen sons and daughters.
 
“Springvale is coming of the Dark Ages,” Billy noted to the sister who accompanied him on this trip down memory lane. Neither of them had witnessed the festivities of the day in years. But it was THEIR parade. First as Scouts and then as players in the local marching band, they had done the route. And many times…
 
And now he was making the observation. Change was coming to this small lakeside community. “They’re finally letting a woman make the Memorial Day speech.” That was a fact. And it was definitely a step forward.
 
Anna and her brother listened for a few moments and then allowed the lure of the cemetery beyond to call them. “Let’s go for a walk.”
 
Little puffs of dust rose from their feet as they walked the familiar road. They followed its course as it lazily wound its way through the ‘at rest’ citizens of their hometown. The shade was cool. Geraniums fairly glowed in the late May sunshine. Engraved stones, polished and glistening in the sunlight surrounded them.
 
They knew where they were going. Gram and Grampa were buried in that far corner. And just beyond them was the small patch of ground their parents had purchased over 20 years ago. No marker graced the family plot. No one had dared to fill even ONE the eight empty gravesites. Not yet at least.
 
Anna picked a dandelion and blew the tiny seedlings into the springtime air. ‘Don’t you wonder…” she said absently, “don’t you wonder who will be the first one buried in here?”
 

She was unaware of the silence emanating from her companion at that moment. Or of how tense he had become.
 
She rambled on. “I think I would want to be buried here even though I’m married and I don’t live here anymore…”
 
Within minutes, Anna had wandered off to look up names of anyone she might remember from her eighteen years as a Springvale citizen. College had delivered her years ago, but one never truly leaves the town he was born into. It was part of her makeup. The stars and all. The meridians. It was her entry point.
 
She posed the question and let it go that day. She would one day recall the brief exchange as a terrible blunder.
 
For HE knew full well who would be the first. And he knew he would be breaking the hapless news to their parents within the next few hours. It would be the hardest thing he would ever have to do.
 
He COULD tell HER, too. He could tell her FIRST and draw to himself at least one ally before the anticipated storm. It might help to do it that way.
 
He opened his mouth to confess what he knew. And then looking at her in all her innocence, abandoned the exchange. There was no need to disturb her world. Not yet. She was too carefree and happy. Something HE would never be again.
 
No. Just let it go. Let it stay this way for awhile, he thought. It will all come crashing down on her soon enough…
 
©2001 Claire Vimala Anderson
 
For more information on Vim’s book, CLICK HERE! Many thanks for reading!

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